Secret cabinet



Feb. 22, 1927.

K l.. KNASTER V SECRET CABINET l Original Filed April 28. 1923*; 4 Sheets-Sheet?.

Feb. 22, 1927.. 1,618,933

l.. KNASTER SECRET CABINET original Filed April 28%1923 4 sheets-snaai 2 .4 sheets-sheet a eb 22 7 I .KNASTER i SECRET CABINET Feb. 22 1927. 1,618,933

L. KNASTER SECRET CABINET Original Filed Abril 28. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet4 fa-TEU -a attorney( Patented F eb. 22, 1927.

uNiTEDsrATEs PATENT orricizf;V

LEON KNASTER, OF UNION CITY, NEW JERSEY.

i SECRET cninivnr.l

Application filed April 28, 1923, Serial No. 635,370. Renewed May 20, 1926.

In my Letters Patent No. 994,009, issued May 30, 19l1, I haverdescribed a novel type of secret cabinet useful in the home, in ofiices,

ments in cabinets such as presented in the above identified Letters Patent, the primary objects in view regarding the new construction now to be set forth including provisions for a main secret compartment of greater dimensions, or content area, than in my previous construction a main compartment which is protected more adequately against burglary and lirethan that heretofore proposed; the provision of an auxiliary secret compartment adjacent to the main secret compait` ment, adapted to receive and hold papers oV less value and importance; the rendering o the secret compartments more difiicult of access than heretofore, when the saine are closed, and using, constructing, and arranging the sai-d compart-ments t-hat their contents may be more readily accessible when the access as authorized incident to the opening of the compartments by a person having knowledge thereof and equipped with the necessary means.

In the carrying out of my invention, my main secret compartment is so constructed by the use of fireproof means and a strong enclosing chamber, that my complete cabinet, which is preferably in the form of a desk or secret-ary, would have to be demolished before the most inner secret compartment space can be broken into.

' Furthermore, in the carrying out of my invention, I have employe-d a special artist-ic design of desk or secretary that may, of course, be modified to embody different adaptations, the primary intent being to produce a handsome piece of period furniture of which any owner may be proud, and which may not only be useful but ornamental in large and small homes, or other places where a cabinet of the nature of the invention may be desired to be used;

A full understanding` of the construction of my secret cabinet desk, orarticle of furniture, will be had on reference to the drawings annexed hereto, the figures of which may be preferably described as follows:

Figure l is a perspective view of a desk or secretary, the legs of which are broken away, the desk being open as when in use as an ordinary secretary.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the upper or cabinet portionof the desk as when out of use, the parts in closed positions, dotted'lines illustrating the -VeXtentof normal movement of the drawer for permitting use of the` desk for ordinary writing purposes, or exposing the entire contents of the drawer itself.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, excepting that the drawer is in open position and the dotted lines illustrate an additional or abnormal `movementof the drawer, as well asthe cover 'for the pigeon holes of the desk. which abnormal movement is permitted by operation of special interlocking means, as a preliminary to obtaining access to the secret compartment. Y

Figure l is a sectional view taken about on the line ft-fof Fig. 3,' showing latch means for limiting withdrawal of the drawer beyond' its normal limits of movement.

Figure 5 is a sectional view, broken away, taken about von the line 5-5 of Fig..3, looking upwards, and Yshowing more fully the main latch actuator for the drawer.

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. t, but showing the drawer in its extreme withdrawn position, as well as the cover for the pigeon holes, the "top of the desk being also moved forward so as to enable the large letter or [ile tray to be removed, and the back of the desk to be swung open as when it is desirable to have access to said tray,

and tothe lock boxesv of my main secretv my invention and referring to Fig.r l, my

desk or cabinet comprises the body A,vconsisting of a base mounted upon legs B, which may be designed after the manner of any pellO access to the secret compartments of the said desk.

Obviously, byreason of theconst-ruct-ionof the compartment and the front wall of the compartment 25 and the front wall of the box 30, the chamber 25 is rendered fireproof, and it is moreover so strong and so well built into the cabinet section C of the secret-ary that it could no t be enteredby unauthorized persons without practically demolishing my whole cabinet. `Additionally, of course, it is rendered fireproof which is very desirable, having in View the purposes of my cabinet.

A special advantage of my invention rcsides in the fact that. while the secret compartments are very difficult of access to one unacquainted with the method of obtainingv access thereto, nevertheless they canbc almost instantly opened whenever it is desired to consult the contents either of the auxiliary compartment comprising the file holder 24, or the innermost secret chamber 30. The parts utilized to prevent unauthorized access to these compartments are very simply formed, being made primarily of metal stampings so far as the catches are concerned, and they are susceptible of easy manipulation. Then the drawer 5 is pulled .toits abnormal limit of withdrawal movement it CoA-operates with the member 11, to hold the catch inactive.

I preferably provide for the sliding movement of the top 18A by applying metal plates to the upper edges of the. sides of the cabinet section C, and securing slide plates 86 to the underside of the top 18, the latter being bent to overlap the plates 35 and afford a sort of metal rail interlock between said part-s. the sliding movement of the top 18 outwardly and inwardly is rendered very easy, and at the same time a very strong connection between the top and sides of the section is afforded. f

It will also be. apparent that in the carrying out of my present invention, I have availed of a number of the novel features of construction of the cabinet of my previous Letters Patent, the same being embodied in a somewhat more substantial, artistic, and more practical and commercial construction, as previously set forth herein, as Well as affording a much larger secret space area.

It will be evident that the pigeon holes 1 really form a public compartment for the desk or cabinet, that the cover 14 is a closing mea-ns for said public compartment, and that the drawer 5 constitutes an operating means for the member 14 to iender it possible to obtain access to the compartments 30 and 24.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and 'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a secret cabinet, the combination of Under these conditions,

a bodyhaving a secret compartment accessible from the rear thereof, a public compartment at the front'of the bo'dy,meansvfor closing said public compartment, an openable, movable back for affording access to said secret compartment, the body aforesaid including a top cooperating with said back, locking means for said movable back beneath the top and normally inaccessible incident to movement of the said closing means4 to merely expose the public compartment, said closing means being adapted for abnormal movement to render said locking means operable, said locking means remaining substantially concealed in the 'abnormal movement before mentioned.,`

2.v In a secret cabinet, the combination of a body having a secret compartment, a public compartment at the front of the body, means for closing said public compartment, an openable, ymovable back for affording access to said secret compartment, locking means for said movable bacl normally inaccessible incident to movement of the said closing means to merely expose thefpublic compartment, said closing' means being adapted for abnormal movement to render said ,locking means operable.v and means connected with' the back to hold the same in a substantially'horizontal position to act as a sort of table when it is opened for access to the secret compartment.

3. In a secret cabinet, the combination of a body including a tog and having a secretcompartment accessible from the rear there of, a public compartment at the front of the body, means for closing said public compartment, an openable, movable back fory affording access to said secret compartment and constituting the rear Wall of the cabinet, locking means for said movable back mounted on Vthe top above the closing means and normally inaccessible incident to movement of the said closing means to merely expose the public compartment, said closing means being adapted for Yabnormal movement to render said locking means operable. and means for controlling the normal and abnormal movement of said closing means of the public compartment.`

4. In a secret cabinet, the combination of a body having a bodily movable secret compartment accessible from the rear thereof, a public compartment at the front of the body, means for closing said public compartment, an outwardly swinging cabinet wall for affording access to said secret compartment, locking means engageable with said movable Wall normally inaccessible incident to movement of the said `closing means to merely expose the public compartment, said closing means being adapted for abnormal movement to render said locking means operable, and a drawer at the front of the cabinet operativelyy connected with said lil) iro

closing means of the public compartment to actuate the same.

5. In a secret cabinet, the combination of a body having` a secret compartment accessible from the rear thereof, a back openable to enable access to said compartment, a top member, a drawer at the iront of the cab'- inet, a locking means for said back concealed beneath the top and disposed to engage a coe operating means on the back, and means connected to the drawer for rendering said locking means accessible by movement of said drawer.

6. In a secret cabinet, the combination ot' a body having a main secret compartment, an auxiliary secret compartment comprising a bodily displaceable tile. holder normally preventing access to saidmain compartment, means preventing access to said auxiliary secret compartment, and parts operable to initially permit access to said file holder, and subsequent movement thereot to all'oi'd access to the main secret compartment.

7. In a secret cabinet, the combination oli a body4 having` a main secretcompartment, anauxiliary secret compartment comprising` a bodily removable tile holder normally preventing access to saidmain compartment, means preventing access to said auxiliary secret compartn'ient, and parts operable to initially permit access to said tile holder, and subsequent movement thereotl to atlord access to the main secret compartment, includin g a top member movable to expose the tile holder, locking means on said top engageable with a wall of the cabinet to prevent movement of the top, and a drawer normally movable to prevent operation of said locking means and abnormally operable 'to permit operation of said locking means.

8. In a secretcabinet, in combination, a body having a main secret compartment, and a bodily displaceable auxiliary secret compartment disposed to conceal the Yformer, a top normally preventing access to said compartments, and removal of the auxiliary compartment, a means on said body having a normal movement and an abnormal moyement, with devices coacting with the last mentioned means and the top operable to permit manipulation of the latter on abnormal movement of said means whereby the removable compartment may be displaced the back, whereby the bacl may be openedV to permit access to said secret compartment.

l0. In a secret cabinet, a body having a public compartment space at-the iront, a closing means for said space, a drawer also at the. front, a secret compartment between the public compartment space and the drawer, a baci: openable to permit access to said secret compartment, an interacting means between the drawer and the closing means aforesaid, together with locking means 'ior they bacl't, whereby the back may be opened to permit access to said' secret compartment, and an auxiliary secret compartment between the bacl and the main secret compartment adapted to be rendered'accessible by movement of the top relatively to the bacl.

ll. In a secret cabinet, a body having` a public compartment space at the front, a closing means for vsaid space, a drawer also at the front, a secret compartment between the public compartment space and the draw,- er, a back openable to permit access to said secret compartment, an interactingl means between the drawer, the closing` means aforesaid, and said back, together with locking' means for the latter, whereby the back may be opened to permit access to said secret compartment, and an-auxiliary secret com-- partment between the back and the main secret compartment adapted to be rendered accessible by movement ot the top relative;v to the back, said auxiliary secret compartment being removable and the bacl being,r adapted to assume a position affording' a sort ot table like support. Y

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

LEON KNASTER. Y 

